Everex

Everex Systems, Inc.
Company type	Public (formerly)
Industry	Computer hardware
Founded	January 1, 1983; 43 years ago Fremont, California, U.S.
Founder	Steve Hui, John Lee, Wayne Cheung
Defunct	2009
Fate	Bankruptcy; acquired by Formosa Plastics Group; later acquired by NewMarket Technology
Headquarters	Fremont, California, United States
Area served	Global
Key people	John Lin (General Manager), Paul C. Kim (Marketing Director)
Products	Multi-processor servers, desktop and notebook computers, tape backup systems, hard drives, graphics products, ESIX operating system, file servers, modems, network adapters, monitors
Number of employees	2200 (1990)

Everex Systems, Inc. was a U.S.-based producer of multi-processor servers, desktop, and notebook computers, established in 1983 by founders Steve Hui, John Lee, and Wayne Cheung. The company operated out of Fremont, California and focused on developing computer hardware products such as the eXplora, IMPACT, StepNote, gPC, and CloudBook series.

By 1988, Everex held a dominant position in the global tape backup sector, controlling approximately 50% of the market. Despite this strong presence, financial difficulties culminated in a bankruptcy filing on January 5, 1993. Following this, Everex was purchased by Formosa Plastics Group and became part of a large multinational corporation alongside affiliates like First International Computer, a prominent motherboard manufacturer.

On December 29, 2006, Everex initiated liquidation proceedings under Chapter 7. Two years later, in June 2008, NewMarket Technology acquired Everex, capitalizing on its brand equity and reporting revenues near $60 million for 2007. During its later operational phase, leadership included General Manager John Lin and Marketing Director Paul C. Kim. These changes marked an evolution in Everex’s business approach amid shifting corporate frameworks and strategic management within the competitive computer hardware market.

History

Everex was founded in 1983 in Fremont, California, initially introducing hard drives, tape backup systems, and graphics products. By 1990, its growing portfolio generated annual revenues exceeding $436 million with a staff of over 2,200 employees. Beginning in 1985, the company started distributing personal computers under private labels, including the IBM-AT-compatible System 1800. The STEP computer series launched in 1988 featured Intel 286 and 386 processors aimed at a wide customer base. Beyond personal computers, Everex developed UNIX-based ESIX operating systems along with file servers, tape drives, graphics cards, modems, network adapters, memory upgrades, desktop publishing tools, and monitors.

Significant events include:

1983 – Establishment of Everex
1984 – Shipment of first hard disk drive
1986 – Introduction of STEP computers based on Intel 286
1987 – Initial public offering on NASDAQ under ticker "EVRX"
1992 – Unsuccessful merger negotiations with Northgate Computer Systems
1993 – Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing; divestiture of ESIX brand and storage units; acquisition by Formosa Plastics Group
1998 – Release of FreeStyle PDA running Windows CE; later discontinued
2007 – Launch of first widescreen (17") Windows Vista notebook and affordable eco-friendly Impact GC3502 PC running gOS Linux
2007 – Introduction of Linux notebooks priced below $300 targeting cost-conscious buyers
2008 – Expansion of environmentally friendly product lineup including CloudBook UMPC, gBook notebook, and gPC mini desktop—all operating on Ubuntu-based gOS Linux

Everex’s strategy emphasized budget-friendly computing devices and early adoption of alternative operating systems to serve specialized markets. Despite pioneering efforts in low-cost "green" PCs and Linux laptops, the U.S. subsidiary ceased operations in 2009 due to limited commercial traction. Nevertheless, its Japanese and Taiwanese branches remained active. Eventually, Everex was absorbed by systems integrator Newmarket Technology amid ongoing restructuring within the global PC industry landscape.

Environmentally Friendly Computers

During the mid-2000s, Everex broadened its product lineup by introducing several lines of eco-friendly computers, aimed at consumers prioritizing environmental sustainability.

gBook

The gBook is a webbook equipped with a 15.4" WXGA+ widescreen panel (1440 x 900 resolution) and powered by a 1.5 GHz VIA C7-M processor. Operating on gOS Linux, it positioned itself as a cost-effective and energy-saving laptop alternative.

gPC

Everex produced two primary versions of the gPC: one running gOS Linux and another branded as Impact featuring Windows Vista, both utilizing VIA C7 CPUs. The gPC incorporated a softmodem intended for developer use and was eventually replaced by the gPC2, which was distributed through Wal-Mart. The subsequent gPC3 model offered enhanced specifications, including a 2 GHz AMD Sempron processor, 1 GB of RAM, and Ubuntu 8.04, and was sold via Newegg.

gPC mini

Introduced in April 2008, the gPC mini was a compact nettop designed to rival the Mac mini. It came with a DVD recorder, DVI output, and integrated social media content driven by MySpace on the gOS Space platform, highlighting social networking as part of its business approach.

Cloudbook

The Cloudbook ultra-mobile PC featured a VIA C7 processor and was available with either gOS Linux or Windows Vista. A Stepnote edition upgraded the CPU to a Pentium Dual-Core, delivering improved performance for portable computing needs.

References

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